Merlin comes back from holiday
by IndigoAndTheFandoms
Summary: After a well deserved break, Merlin comes back to check up on Hogwarts. Unfortunately the Battle of Hogwarts is going on. Who the hell does this Voldemort guy think he is anyway?


**Okay so I know I should be working on The Druid Ambassador but writers block mixed with too much work means that I'm procrastinating… So here's a crazy idea that I've had when bored in class. I have a ton of work and exams so the next update of the Druid Ambassador is probs going to be in like 2 weeks (pls don't kill me) This is set during the battle of Hogwarts during the Deathly Hallows. Also the entire first paragraph comes directly from the book. This is a bit crackish and I may or may not make it a two shot if I feel like it.**

"You see?" said Voldemort, and Harry felt him striding backwards and forwards right beside the place where he lay. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy wh-"

The buffeting of air and the sound of giant wings cut off Voldemort's triumphant speech. Everyone looked up, from the proud Death Eaters to the scared but defiant school children that stood across the ruined courtyard.

"What is this? Some kind of foolish last show of defiance? Why do you still try to resist me?"

For once, no one was listening to the Dark Lord. They were too distracted by the large white dragon that was descending in between the opposing forces. The creature was much larger than the ones present at the Triwizard Tournament. Its brilliant scales were almost blinding in the early morning light.

Death Eaters and students alike ran for cover as the dragon dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Hagrid reached down and picked up Harry's limp as gently as the situation allowed. His rough hands covering the boy as he hurried to the relative safety of a nearby archway that was miraculously still standing. Voldemort disappeared in a swirl of dark smoke and reappeared by a pile of rubble a few meters away, Nagini slithering by his side.

Then the most unexpected thing of all occurred. A young man jumped of the dragon, patted its side and marched straight up to Voldemort. This young man had dark messy hair, ears that stuck out rather conspicuously and slightly odd, old-fashioned clothes. He wore some kind of blue tunic with a red necktie under a brown jacket.

Harry had observed all of this from under his eyelashes, but had to stop himself from opening them wide in shock when this young man started lecturing Voldemort.

"I go on holiday for fifty years and _this_ is what I come back to? Some so-called dark wizard has destroyed _my_ school and thinks he can get away with it? Um, no. I thought it would be perfectly fine for me to take a break after watching over Hogwarts for so long. But apparently, some people," Harry could barely stop himself from snorting with laughter as the man jabbed his finger into Voldemort's freakishly pale face, "just exist to make my life harder. Who on Earth do you think you are?"

Everyone in the courtyard was speechless. There was no way this was happening. Bellatrix's mouth was hanging open. Neville was rubbing his eyes just to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Luna Lovegood seemed to be the only one unaffected by this strange man's speech. She just smiled vacantly, like she was vaguely recalling a particularly amusing joke.

Voldemort regained his composure first. He didn't quite seem to know what to make of this intruder. On the one hand, he'd just jumped of a _dragon_ and started shouting at the most powerful dark wizard in the world and had just casually mentioned that he was over fifty years old. On the other hand, no one had ever seen him before, he looked barely eighteen and he didn't even seem to have a wand. Voldemort settled on his tried and tested method of intimidation. He whipped out the Elder wand and pointed it at the newcomer.

"Who do I think _I_ am? I am Lord Voldemort! The most powerful wizard of all, Conqueror of Death and now Killer of The Boy Who Lived. I think the question here is, who are you?"

The man just blinked. He appeared unimpressed with this speech. Harry had to give him credit. The man may be completely insane but he was brave. Before he answered, the man put his arms behind his head and stretched.

"Ah so you're the newest "most powerful wizard in the world". Well don't flatter yourself mate. You're not the first and you won't be the last. The one before you was a guy named Grindelwald. At least I think that was his name. I heard about him but he wasn't really big enough. I didn't see the point of leaving my holiday just to deal with someone who isn't really as bad as he thinks he is. I can't even remember the guy before him. Just goes to show what little an impression they made."

This was getting stranger and stranger. This man was speaking about Gellert Grindelwald, the second most powerful dark wizard of all time like he was a minor annoyance. Who was this man?

Voldemort was obviously thinking the same thing.

"How dare you?" He slashed his wand down at this point, causing red sparks to fly out of it. The watching crowd hurriedly stepped back, while the strange man seemed unconcerned. "You should bow before me! Who are you to defy me?"

The young man, who had been examining his nails, arranged his face into one of mock shock.

"Oh how rude of me! I fly in during your little speech and I forget to introduce myself! Forgive me. My name is Merlin."

The man seemed oblivious to the commotion his name had caused. People began whispering among themselves. A few began to slowly back away. Voldemort on the other hand, just sneered.

"So your parents named you Merlin and you think you could possibly wield the same power? Though I do have to admit, the dragon is rather impressive, it doesn't make up for the fact that you are obviously delusional. You don't even have a wand! What makes you think you could possibly stand up to me and live?"

Merlin, if that even was his real name, just smirked.

"You're right."

This confused Voldemort. He wasn't used to his enemies agreeing with him.

"About what? About the fact that you're delusional and have no chance beating me?"

"Nope. You're right in saying that I don't have a wand. But that's just because I don't need one."

Voldemort was obviously rattled but he was doing his best to look unimpressed. After all, he couldn't just admit that this youth without a wand terrified him.

"Enough of this! You are wasting my time."

Voldemort raised the Elder wand and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light headed towards Merlin. Harry almost closed his eyes, not wanting to watch to fate of the brave young man. But he was glad he didn't. Merlin waved his hand and the light dissipated instantly. He just smirked.

"You really thought that would work? You think in all the years that that spell has existed; no one has tried it on me? My magic trumps yours every time. Sorry not sorry."

Voldemort was visibly cowed. He wasn't even trying to hide his terror anymore. Maybe it was the shock.

Merlin seemed unperturbed. He took a step back and started speaking. Harry wasn't quite sure who he was addressing anymore, although it looked like he was talking to the Death Eaters.

"I'm bored of this. Either you lot can leave this place and the people here in peace, or I'll have to do something unpleasant. It's too early in the morning for that sort of nonsense isn't it."

A few of the Death Eaters disapparited instantly, but the majority stayed. They were watching their leader cautiously, looking to see what they were to do next.

Voldemort didn't really look like he was in any state to give orders. He was still staring at Merlin as he walked over to his giant dragon and began stroking it's snout. There was not doubt in anyone's mind that this man was who he said he was. There was simply no one else who could have blocked the killing curse.

Merlin seemed to take the silence in the courtyard as an answer.

"Well then. I really don't want to do this. I've just been riding a dragon for 11 hours for the goddesses sake!" He turned to Voldemort. "Unfortunately for you, you've attacked this school. I've put a lot of time and effort into this place and I made a promise long ago to keep it safe. "

He started murmuring under his breath and his eyes began to glow a brilliant molten gold. Harry had never seen anything like it before. Just as he looked like he had reached the climax of his spell, Merlin's eyes return to normal and he stopped whispering. Instead he straightened and turned to the dragon.

"Huh. That's weird. He's got horcruxes. Well, he had but there's only one left. I know for a fact that the boy over there that's pretending to be dead was one." All eyes flicked to Harry. Not seeing the point in faking anymore, Harry sat up on the cold ground. Everyone started whispering and a few pointed. Voldemort had snapped his head around and had his red snake-like eyes trained on him. Harry figured he only had a few seconds before he was dead for good.

Ignoring the commotion, Merlin kept talking and stroking the dragon. The legendry wizard's sanity looked highly debatable at this point.

"You know, Aithusa, I remember the first horcrux. I trapped Cornelius Sigan inside his own horcrux all those years ago. Of course, I know how to get rid of them now but I didn't then. Yes I know it's the snake. What kind of an idiot do you take me for? Wait, don't answer that."

Something inside Merlin's rambling drew Voldemort's attention. Something about a snake…

"How do you know about that? No one knows about Nagini! I demand you to tell me!" Nagini hissed, as to emphasis her master's point.

Merlin sighed. Harry smirked. Did Voldemort really think no one knew about his snake? If Neville had spread the word like he was meant to, then the whole school knew Nagini was a horcrux. It wasn't that hard to figure out.

"I can feel the darkness radiating off her. You have corrupted her and the only way to stop it is to kill her. You really are despicable. You take the only thing that you care for and twist her with darkness. I'm sorry Nagini. Aithusa if you will…"

Merlin stepped out of the way and the dragon, Aithusa was its name, stepped forwards. Harry flicked a glance at Charlie Weasley who looked like he was about to run up to the dragon. Even though Harry had only met the man twice, his love of dragons was well known.

Aithusa bent down to face the snake, who was still hissing defiantly. Harry could only see half of its face but he could have sworn that the dragon looked almost apologetic. It opened its mouth, revealing the rows of sharp teeth inside, and a column of white-hot flames roared out. Voldemort had to teleport a few meters away to escape the flames. Nagini wasn't so lucky. From what Harry could see, there was only a blackened stain on the ground to show that she'd ever been there at all.

Voldemort let out a screech of pain and dropped to the ground. Bellatrix pushed through the crowd and actually jumped over Aithusa's giant paw to get to her master.

"My Lord! Are you alright My Lord?" Spinning around she waved her wand at the great white dragon and Merlin. Her voice was high and hysterical when she spoke.

"How dare you? How dare you harm the Dark Lord? He who is more powerful than you could ever dream? HOW DARE YOU?"

Merlin stepped forwards from his place next to his dragon.

"Um, sorry? And I think we've already established that I'm just a tad stronger than anyone else here. I think it would be a good idea if you left now. It's about to get a bit…"

Merlin trailed off uncomfortably. Harry stared. For a supposedly all-powerful wizard that had founded incredible legends, Merlin was a bit awkward. With his ears sticking out and his messy hair, he was hardly intimidating, despite the magic he had just displayed. Bellatrix seemed to think so too. She laughed in a way that didn't seem quite sane.

"Ha! It was a trick! Just a trick to give false hope to the mudbloods and scum who still try to fight. You attacked the Dark Lord. Death is too good for you. You must suffer a thousand times what he has!" She drew back her wand and flicked it towards Merlin. "CRUCIO!"

Merlin waved his hand and the light dissipated in an instant. It was incredible and there could be no chance of calling it a trick. It was the most amazing piece of magic Harry had seen.

Bellatrix wavered for a second before she grinned. Her eyes shone with a cruel light. It was a look worthy of nightmares.

"Fine. If I can't get my revenge you, I can at least put down the beast." In the blink of an eye, her wand was pointing at the dragon.

"AVADA KADAVA!"

"NOOOOOOO"

Merlin leapt forwards and blocked the curse with a wave of his hand. His face was contorted with a rage of the like Harry had never seen before. His very being trembled with power. Instead of fading back to blue, his eyes remained a deep, molten gold. Harry took back everything he'd just thought about Merlin's less than threatening demeanour. His anger was the most terrifying thing Harry had ever seen. As one, everyone present took a step back. Bellatrix's smirk fell from her face.

When he spoke, Merlin's voice was low and dangerous. He sounded nothing like the like the awkward boy he had seemed only minutes ago.

"You dare? You dare attack Aithusa? She who is the Light of the Sun, the last of the Dragons of Old, she who has lived for over thirteen hundred years, she who has more knowledge and wisdom than you could ever dream? You dare attack her in front of her Dragonlord? You dare? I should end you where you stand."

Charlie Weasley looked like he was about to faint. That or run up to Aithusa and Merlin and hug the pair of them. Harry could see his lips moving from across the courtyard. He could have sworn he kept saying Dragonlord under his breath.

Merlin swivelled his head around to face the dragon. He actually seemed to be talking to it, although the conversation did seem to be quite one sided.

"No Aithusa, it is not alright. She attacked you! It's my duty to protect you! Yes I know you can protect yourself, I just-"

Merlin stopped talking and whirled around with his hand up, just in time to block the curse that Bellatrix had sent flying his way. His eyes flashed quickly and the curse dissipated.

"That's it. You've hurt too many people and you tried to harm Aithusa. You've done enough. "

He began chanting quietly, but this time Harry heard what he was saying. He didn't know what Merlin was saying but it wasn't English and it defiantly didn't sound like any spell he'd ever heard before.

 _ic_ _ealdordóm ðu, fífmægen sylfum byre ond heofon, dynt plúmfeðer þá hwa éaðe æfterfolgian deorcnes ond anda_

The sky flashed and everything darkened with clouds that had not been there a moment before. Bright streaks of light came down from the sky and hit Bellatrix, blasting her back several meters. As she flew through the air she seemed at peace for a moment, until she landed on the ground with a heavy thud that left little doubt about the condition of her bones. She was dead before she hit the ground.

Then more and more bolts of lightening flew to the ground and hit all of the Death Eaters that still remained. Down and down the lightening came, each time spelling death for another one of Voldemort's followers. However not one of the Hogwarts students or the Order of the Phoenix was hit. No matter how close they were to the lightning, not a hair on their heads were harmed. Curiously none of the Malfoy's were hit. Harry filled that bit of information away for later. He was too awe shocked by the power that Merlin wielded. It was unbelievable. The man himself was just standing over Voldemort his unkept hair blowing in an unseen wind. His eyes fierce and unforgiving.

The man who had inspired such terror was now a pitiful sight. His robe were tangled around him as he pulled himself onto his knees. He tried to stand but tripped on his own robes and fell back onto his knees. Still, he tried once more to change the tide of the battle.

"The power you can control. Together we can rule over those less worthy, we can become gods among men! J-Join me! You shall see your enemies tremble at your feet. No one will stand before us!"

Merlin stared down at the man at his feet, his face unreadable. For a horrifying moment, Harry thought he might be considering the offer. Then he spoke and his words carried across the courtyard.

"Tom Riddle. You have been consumed by hatred and anger, constantly fearing death and taking your anger and pain out on those around you. You believe that people without magic are less than you; you think your heritage makes you better than them. You've twisted your very soul with some of the darkest of magic. And you think I would ally myself with such evil?

I have walked this Earth for over a thousand years; I have seen wars and famines, the darkest of times. Yet I have also seen the lightest of times. Times of joy and hope. If you live long enough, you see the same patterns and the same people. And I'll tell you Tom, it never ends well for people like you.

And besides what do you have to offer me? If I desired to rule I would have taken Camelot one thousand, three hundred years ago. I would be a dictator and I wouldn't need your help doing it. But I've never desired the throne and you can't understand that. You've twisted yourself so much that you can't understand the simple joy of being with the ones you love. I pity you for that. Perhaps if I didn't have Aithusa I would have turned into bitter old man. I may have even ended up like you. But I care for her and I would do anything for her, and you can't understand that either.

I pride myself on giving second chances, but you're too far-gone. I can that darkness has consumed you to the point that there's no hope for your soul. I'm sorry Tom. I truly am."

He stepped back and began chanting again.

 _þes mann manian hwa hé sy. myndgian hine sylfum_ _sé angnes hé frymþ_

The moment he finished his strange incantation. Voldemort let out a scream and clutched his head. He fell to the ground.

"No! Please no! I'm sorry! I-I didn't … MAKE IT STOP!"

The watching crowd gasped. What could Merlin have possible have done that would have made the great Lord Voldemort beg like that. Merlin came forwards again and crouched by the writhing form of the Dark Lord.

"No. You need to feel what you have done. You need to understand the pain you have caused on your mission for greatness. What you are experiencing is the anguish of the thousands of people you have killed and all those left behind. All happening at once. I will not end the spell."

Harry was shocked. He hadn't even known that such a spell was possible, and a quick glance at the teachers told him that they didn't either. Merlin had tortured Voldemort in the worst possible way. He'd made him feel again.

The watching crowd gasped again as Voldemort took the Elder Wand in a weak grasp and pointed it at Merlin. He spoke in a rasping voice, laboured like every word hurt him.

"If-if you will not make it end, then I will."

He turned the wand around so it was pointing at himself.

"Avada Kadava"

A flash of green light and the most dangerous dark wizard for the last thousand years died. Killed by his own spell.

The entire courtyard was silent. No one dared breathe. Merlin stood up and turned around with a large grin on his face.

"Glad that's over with. I'm starving. Anyone fancy a trip to the Three Broomsticks?"

 **Yes I did kinda take the idea for the spell Merlin used on Voldemort from the Inheritance Cycle. Cookies for you if you noticed!**


End file.
